


Home is where you are

by CryOverSpiltTea



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Forehead Touching, Keith loves his cryptid documentaries, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, One Shot, Plushies, Soldier Shiro, Teacher Keith, cuddles in front of the tv, voltron doesn't exist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 10:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13702395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CryOverSpiltTea/pseuds/CryOverSpiltTea
Summary: It has been 8 months since Shiro had been home and home is where Keith is.





	Home is where you are

**Author's Note:**

> A fic for the Fandemonium Valentine's Day Fic Exchange  
> This is for Rue! Hope you enjoy it darling.
> 
> Also this is the first fic I have written in YEARS! so this was a wonderful opportunity to start again.
> 
> And apologies for any mistakes.
> 
> constructive criticism is always welcomed :)

 While always keeping the mission at hand his number one priority for the past eight months, Shiro would be lying if he said he hadn't been thinking about the day he would be back home every single day of those eight long months.

He missed a lot of things. The warmth and familiar feeling of his own bed or the sound of his cat’s collar that would randomly alert Shiro of its presence. No, there was something more that he missed. A certain presence that kept him calm – that helped him in more ways that he would let known. What he missed more about home was the feeling of his significant other next him every morning he woke up.

He missed the Friday nights where they would curl up in front of the tv and watch some random documentary about a big foot or something that Keith found intriguing. And when Keith allowed it, a solid b-rated horror flick of his own choosing - and better yet, when they found themselves in each other’s arms after the movie has ended, too tired and unbothered to move to the bed.

No, what he misses the most right now, are the moments he catches Keith singing to himself while performing a mundane task in the middle of the day and the face he makes when caught. An embarrassed smile that would light up the room around him – the light blush across his cheeks.

These and many more are highlights of a place that he calls home. A place he has often dreamt about. A place that has kept him sane throughout the harsh realities he was facing on a day to day bases - a life line to pull him out when things got too much for him. The moments with Keith.

But the wait is finally over.

Soon he would hold him in his arms and breath in that familiar scent he tried so hard to not forget.

Nothing was going to stand in his way of making it home.

Sitting in the middle of the room he had been staying at, he fiddles with the small black lion plushie that Keith had given him before he was sent off.

_Keith and Shiro are standing outside of their home saying their goodbyes before Shiro has to leave. Shiro is trying his very best to not cry in front of Keith. He holds onto the notion that this mission is for the sake of the universe and everyone in it, including Keith, so he pushes those tears back - daring them not to fall out._

_He can see that Keith is trying to the same. To look strong for him and not let him see how hard it would be on the both of them to separate under these conditions._

_Keith then hands him lion plushie the size of his palm._

_He clears his throat before talking. “The black lion represents leadership, strength and decisiveness. All qualities you must never forget about yourself, even when things get tough.”_

_He looks at Shiro with glossy eyes so intensely, Shiro brings him close gently by the back of his head, bumping their foreheads together before leaning in completely to kiss him._

_The kiss becomes heated with passion and desperation, taking in everything they can of the other before the inevitable parting._

_And then they do; Shiro is still holding him close and smiles._

_“He also has wild black hair like you.” He teases._

_Keith lets out a sad laugh, before grabbing the arm Shiro is holding him with and rubbing it lovingly. Tears well up in his eyes but with every last strength he doesn’t let them fall._

_“Ok the lion is there remind you of my hair.” He says with a hint of playful sarcasm and takes Shiro’s hand from his face and kisses the knuckles softly, eyes closed._

_“Come home.” He whispers, looking up into Shiro’s eyes with the same intensity as before._

_“Always.”_

Recalling the memory as if it was yesterday, Shiro gets up from the so-called bed and grabs his bag before heading out. He doesn’t take a last glance at the bunker.

He is heading home now.

\------

“So, are you nervous?” Lance asks out of the blue while the two are sitting in the teacher’s lounge, marking their class’s recent exam.

Keith looks up from his papers, unsure as to what his friend is referring to. “uhh no?”

Lance looks at him blankly then drops his pen on top of his work.

“Shiro? Tomorrow?”

Realisation washes over Keith. Oh right. It’s not that he forgot. He just had his mind so preoccupied with marking the remainder of exams he had. And he definitely was not avoiding the topic being brought up entirely.

Keith smiles, nodding his head. He turns back to marking the remainder of the work. Lance picks up on his avoidance of the topic and rolls to his friend on his chair.

“Hey man. Are you okay?” Lance asks.

Keith stops and sighs. There is no avoiding the persistence of a friend who knows you too well.

“I’m excited - more than anyone can describe. I’m just- “He stops his sentence there, unsure how to finish. Unsure to what he was exactly feeling at the moment. The silence is a little long.

“Just what?” Lance asks encouragingly, not wanting his friend to do the usual keeping his worries all to himself.

Keith chews on his inner cheek, trying to collect his thoughts together. He drops his pen and rubs his face. Of course he knows what has been eating at him for the past week. Each day getting worse as it gets closer to the d-day.

“Shiro has been gone for 8 months. And in those 8 months we have spoken to each other 3 times, each no longer than a minute.” He gulps as he lets what has been eating at him become actual words that left his mouth - out there for the world to judge. Lance is silent, encouraging him to continue.

“And what if it’s different? 8 months is a long time. What if it’s just not the same…” His words end with a whisper.

Lance nods understandably and thinks of his next words carefully.

“It’s completely normal to feel this way Keith. It is also not unrealistic to think that that things will be different. A lot has happened in 8 months and it is completely possible that you both will be different. But the love is still there. That will remain the same. It will be a little bumpy getting use to each other once again but you will get into the loop of things, and of that I’m sure.”

Keith feels the worry within him leave his body from Lance’s words of encouragement. For the first time understanding completely what it all means. He picks up his pen once again and turns to his friend with a smile.

“Lance, thank you. It actually feels good to let out these thoughts.”

“Of course. It’s important to not let your worries consume you. Now let’s get these exams marked and call it a day.”  He pats his shoulders and rolls back to his desk. “Besides it’s you and Shiro, the cutest couple I know. After me and Pidge of course.” He adds with a smirk.

Keith shakes at his friend’s remark and relaxes into his work. Tomorrow will be great. More than great. 

God, he missed Shiro so much.

 

\----

 

This is it.

 

After eight months, today is the day.

 

It almost feels unreal.

 

Like a dream.

 

Keith can feel the wait just pulse throughout his body at the rhythm of the ticking clock in the living room.

He walks to the kitchen to check on the lasagne he made in the oven. Looks the same as it did 2 minutes ago. Right. He walks towards the dining room and checks on the set up. He moves every piece of utensil a millimetre over, just as he did 3 minutes ago.

He paces around the house looking for something to organise. But quite frankly he spent all evening yesterday and all afternoon today preparing the house for this moment, everything cleaned and re cleaned 30 times over. He finds his pacing leads him to the bathroom where he looks at his reflection.

Since the last time he saw Shiro; his hair is shorter, and he has lost a little weight. He does what he can to seem presentable. He is wearing a simple red button up with some black skinny jeans and dress shoes.

At that moment he hears the doorbell ring. His heart quickens at the sound and so he rushes out to the front door.

With each step he is closer to reaching the love of his life - to the man he has been waiting for the past eight months.

 

Eight _long_ months.

 

He makes it to the door.

 

He hesitates.

 

Hand gripping tight on the door knob - he takes a deep breath.

 

 _Ok_.

 

He opens the door.

 

And there he was, Shiro, standing with the same lion plushie from all those months ago at hand and duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

Keith doesn’t hesitate to throw his arms around Shiro and pulling him into a hug. In a moment of succumbing to the emotions, Keith lets the tears fall from his eyes –  overwhelmed to the feeling of Shiro in his arms.

After a long while they begin to pull away, and look at each other.

A lot  _has_  changed.

Shiro places his hand on Keith’s face, thumb wiping away the tears that fall.

“You cut your hair.” He comments, the first one to speak.

Keith laughs, bring his hand to his hair. “uhh yeah. It was getting a little out of control.”

A silence falls between them. Each person taking in every detail they can of the one before them – tyring to map out the changes – taking in the details they remember. Keith takes notice a new scare across his nose and then feels the pang of pain in his chest.

Shiro takes notice at Keith’s realisation and instead chuckles at the statement and ruffles his hair.

“It looks good… I’ve missed you.” He says the three words finally.

At those words Keith is filled with an immense wave of emotions, he does not know how to react – words unable to leave his mouth, so instead acts and pulls Shiro into their home. Shiro giggles at Keith’s sudden reaction and is quickly taken aback when he feels Keith’s lips on his own. The kiss turns passionate, tasting each other every bit, they can as if this were their last moments on earth. They both moan as they find themselves falling onto the couches in the living room. Here Shiro takes the opportunity to run his hair through Keith’s hair’s – something that he missed doing.

Both needing a moment to breath they slowly and hesitantly break the kiss – eyes closed, each taking in every feeling and breathing in the familiarity. Oh, how they missed this. Opening their eyes, Shiro let’s out a soft laugh while he runs his hands through Keith’s hair.

“I’m guessing you missed me too then?” he jokes, earning a playful punch from Keith, who becomes red in the face.

“More than you know.”

They eat their dinner. And the worry that was eating Keith alive the past week left him in that instant. They soon find curled up together on the couch talking all through the night. Shiro sharing some stories about the war and Keith listening intently – taking in every bit of detail he can about the things that Shiro had to face without him. And soon they find themselves falling asleep, both comfortable in each other’s arms – happy.  For the first time in months, Shiro feels relaxed.

 

He finally made it home.

 


End file.
